Razer rolls out Taipan ambidextrous gaming mouse, we go hands-on

It's not the mouse we expected to see here at E3, given what slid through Uncle Sam's FCC fingers a few weeks ago, but Razer has unveiled its new Taipan gaming mouse here at E3 2012. Apparently, Razer has learned to love lefties from the jump with its most recent rodent, as the Taipan is an ambidextrous unit suitable for any gamer. The outside of the Taipan is swathed in tactually-pleasing matte black plastic, with a glowing Razer logo in the palm rest and a clickable scroll wheel ringed in similar neon green lighting. It's got nine programmable buttons in all: right and left click, the clickwheel, plus two buttons just south of the scroller and two more embedded in each of the Taipan's flanks.%Gallery-157358%

In addition to its ergonomic design, it's got one 8200 dpi sensor under the hood to precisely track two-dimensional movements, plus a second optical sensor for z-axis tracking -- so it knows when you've lifted the mouse off your desk and keeps your cursor right where you left it. Furthering this focus on ultra precise mousing, the Taipan is a 32-bit peripheral and has a 1,000Hz polling rate, which means your cursor moves exactly when you want it to. Naturally, it uses Razer's Synapse 2.0 technology, so after initial set-up the Taipan brings your settings to any new PC as soon as you plug it in. It goes on sale next month for $79.99, and if you're lookin to learn more in the meantime, check out the PR after the break.%Gallery-157361%

LOS ANGELES (E3 2012)–Razer, the world leader in high performance gaming hardware, today introduced the Razer Taipan, an ambidextrous gaming mouse that sets a new standard for versatility, form and function. Over its storied history, Razer has placed itself at the forefront of the video gaming industry by combining cutting-edge technology with ergonomic research. The Razer Taipan is the latest expression of the brand's unique approach to engineering and design, the culmination of the years of diligence and validation from the brand's e-Sports professionals.

Razer's ergonomic scientists collaborated with top e-Sports athletes from professional gaming teams such as Empire, Frenetic Array, Mousesports, Quantic, Rox.Kis and Type II Gaming, to pinpoint the optimal shape, weight, and balance required in an ambidextrous mouse at the highest levels of gameplay. Its symmetrical shape with narrow footprint and arched back make it comfortable for a wide variety of players. The weight distribution of the mouse has also been tweaked for the most optimal grip profile.

Powered by Razer's new 8200 dpi 4G Dual Sensor System, the Razer Taipan slips an unfair advantage into the hand that wields it. The mouse combines laser and optical sensors that are not only responsive and precise, but also allow Z-axis tracking and liftoff cutoff customization to ensure that aim is always true.

"We have designed the Razer Taipan with the goal of offering pro gamers the best weapon to achieve victory in the competitive world of e-Sports," said Robert 'RazerGuy' Krakoff, president of Razer USA. "The Razer Taipan is engineered to deliver an astounding 8200 dpi 4G Dual Sensor System to provide gamers with the fastest mouse tracking, enhanced ambidextrous ergonomics and Razer Synapse 2.0 support. Anything is possible with the Razer Taipan."

About the Razer Taipan Gaming Mouse:

With an all-new 8200 dpi 4G Dual Sensor System, the Razer Taipan is armed with laser and optical sensors that accurately calibrate to any surface for exceptional pinpoint tracking. Whether you are a right-hander or a south-paw, palm or fingertip-grip user, with Razer's improved ambidextrous ergonomics, expect maximum comfort and reduced fatigue over long periods of gaming. Fight longer as your foes rage-quit in exhaustion.

The Razer Taipan, driven by Razer's intuitive proprietary software, Synapse 2.0, the world's first cloud-based storage software for gaming peripherals, automatically syncs users' custom profiles and settings on a virtual server. This relinquishes the need to set up the Razer Taipan at tournaments and LANs and allows for easy porting and setting replication to a new Razer gaming mouse. Strike fear into the hearts of your foes, a triumphant victory is at-hand with the Razer Taipan.